Tape dispenser



June 24, 1947. H, E, BU LER 2,423,004 4 SPENSER Inventor:

enT E. Butler,

His Attorney.

Patented June 24, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TAPE DISPENSER Henry E. Butler, Scotla, N. Y.

Application December 14, 1945, Serial No. 635,079

Claims. 1

In connection with adhesive tapes, especially cellulose adhesive tapes, which are sold in rolls, difficulty is experienced often in loosening the end of the tape when it is desired to remove a length of tape from the roll. This is especially true of very thin tapes. Heretofore, dispensing devices for such tapes have been devised but so far as I am aware, all which were satisfactory in use have been relatively complicated and expensive.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved tape dispenser which while being satisfactory in use i very simple in structure and capable of being manufactured at low cost.

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the following specification and to the claims appended thereto.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a tape dispenser embodying my invention; Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are detail views illustrating the operation of the dispenser, and Figs. 5 and 6 are detail view of modifications.

Referring to the drawing, l indicates a roll of thin adhesive tape, the outside end of the tape being indicated at 2. This may be cellulose tape, for example.

According to my invention, I provide a pin or bar 3 which extends transversely of the roll beneath and adjacent to the end of the tape and I connect to the pin a lever structure by means of which the pin maybe elevated to lift the end of the tape free of the roll, the lever structure at the same time providing an edge across which a length of tape may be severed from the roll.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the lever com-prises a flat strap 4 of suitable material, preferably metal, of a width equal to that of the roll of tape provided at its side edges with ears or wings 5 which extend down on opposite sides of the roll. The wings5 are spaced apart a distance such that they fit easily over the roll. The pin or bar 3 at its ends is attached to the wings 5 in spaced relation to strap l, leaving a space 6 through which the tape passes. Pin 3 is spaced from the ends of the strap 4. The end I of strap ll forms an edge over which a length of tape may be torn. The end 8 of strap 4 forms a fulcrum for the lever.

The dispenser forms a part of the roll being positioned on the roll as shown in Fig. 2. To dispense a length of tape, the lever is first tilted to the position in Fig.3 by pressing on the fulcrum end of the lever to bring the fulcrum end into contact with the roll. The lever is then turned on its fulcrum to lift the end of the tape free of 2 the roll as shown in Fig. 4. Tape of the desired length is then separated from the roll and the dispenser is slid along the separated length until.-

it reaches the body of the roll. The dispenser is then positioned as shown in Fig. 2 and the length of tape is torn off acros edge 1.

In Fig. 5 is shown a form of the invention wherein the fulcrum is provided by a fulcrum pin 9 spaced from pin 3, the arrangement being such that the end of the tape may be raised by pushlng down on the left hand end of lever 4 as indicated by the dotted line positions of the lever, the lever turning on pin 9 as the fulcrum. In this figure wings 5 correspond to Wings 5 of Figs. 1 to 4. In this construction, the forward end of the lever is bent at an angle to the main body of the lever to bring the severing edge 1 into engagement with the roll without having the rear edge separated from the roll too far.

In Fig. 6 is shown a modification similar to that of Figs. 1 to 4 except that the side wings have been omitted, the pin 3 being attached to the lever do by side pieces II] which at their ends are suitably attached to the ends of pin 3 and the side edges of lever 4a. The Fig. 6 construction is operated after the manner of that of Figs. 1 to 4 as already described.

By the term pin" or bar as used in the specification and by the term pin as used in the claims, I mean and intend to include a pin or bar as shown in the drawing or a suitable equivalent thereof.

By my invention, I provide a dispenser for adhesive tape which is very simple in structure, easy to use and capable of being manufactured at low cost. In fact, it can be provided at such low cost that a dispenser can be supplied with each roll of tape and discarded when the roll has been used since the dispenser does not add appreciably to the cost of the roll. -If desired, however, a dispenser can be transferred from one roll to another.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. The combination with a roll of adhesive'tape of a dispenser comprising a pin positioned under the outer layer of the tape adjacent to its end, a strap of a width equal at least to the width of the tape which extends transversely of the roll outside the outer layer, means connecting the ends of the pin to the strap in spaced relation thereto with the pin spaced from the ends of the strap, one end of said strap having an edge over which the tape may be torn, and means providing a fulcrum for the strap on the side of the pin opposite to that of the tearing edge whereby the strap may be turned on its fulcrum to cause the pin to lift the free end of the tape loose from the roll.

2. The combination with a roll of adhesive tape of a dispenser comprising a, pin positioned under the outer layer of the tape adjacent to its end, a strap of a width equal at least to the width of the tape which extends transversely of the roll outside the outer layer, and means connecting the ends of the pin to the strap in paced relation thereto with the pin spaced from the ends of the strap, one end of said strap having an edge over which the tape may be torn and the other end forming a fulcrum for the strap whereby the strap may be turned on its fulcrum to cause the pin to lift the free end of the tape loose from the roll.

3. The combination wtih a roll of adhesive tape of a dispenser comprising a pin positioned under 'of the tape loose from the roll.

4. The combination with a roll of adhesive tape of a dispenser comprising a pin positioned under the outer layer of the tape adjacent to its end, a lever which extends along the outside of the roll, wings on the side edges of the lever which project down along opposite sides of the roll and to which the ends of the pins are connected, one end of said lever forming a, tearing edge for a length of tape, and means forming a fulcrum for the lever on which it may be turned to lift the free end of the tape loose from the roll. a

5. A dispenser for use with a roll of adhesive tape comprising a lever member, a pin adapted to be positioned under a tape end extending transversely of the lever member and connected thereto at its ends in spaced relation to the surface of the lever member and spaced from the ends of the lever member, one end of the lever member forming a tape severing edge, and means forming a fulcrum for the lever on the side of the pin opposite that on which the tape severing edge is located.

HENRY E. BUTLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

